Plant-based diets in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease

According to the World Health Organization, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for 74% of deaths globally. Yet, an estimated 90% of type 2 diabetes, 80% of heart disease, and 30-70% of cancers are considered entirely preventable. The lowest rates of NCDs are in populations who have healthy lifestyles and eat plant-based diets. In this presentation, Brenda Davis, RD reviews the evidence supporting the use of plant-based diets in the prevention and treatment of NCDs. She shares her experiences using plant-based diets in a clinical type 2 diabetes trial in the Marshall Islands and a lifestyle medicine demonstration project in Lithuania. Brenda will discuss the reasons why plant-based diets afford protection and provide practical guidelines for designing plant-based diets that are effective in both the prevention and treatment of NCDs. -- Brenda Davis, registered dietitian, is a plant-based trailblazer and an internationally acclaimed speaker. Brenda has been a featured speaker at medical, nutrition, and dietetic conferences in 25 countries on 6 continents. As a prolific nutrition writer, Brenda has authored/co-authored 13 books with nearly a million copies in print in 12 languages. Her latest book, Plant-Powered Protein, was released in 2023. Brenda has also authored and co-authored numerous professional and lay articles and is a past chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She was the lead dietitian in a diabetes intervention research project in the Marshall Islands. Brenda was the 7th recipient of the Plantrician Project’s Luminary Award in 2022 and was inducted into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame in 2007. She lives in Calgary Alberta Canada with her husband and has 2 grown children and 3 grandchildren.